Conjunctivitis and The Fourth Of July

Monday, July 7 1952

Dear Andrew and John,

In some respects we had a nice quiet weekend and since last Thursday we received several letters from each of you and the pictures, Andrew. I am still waiting to see what Pavelle does to the black and whites of the kids. I got the word from you, John, that the color prints had been done by a private set-up and I'm sure no commercial or grind-'em-out company would take the pains to see the color rendition was so perfect. I put an ad in the Argus, as I told you, about the Polaroid and didn't get a single nibble; offered it at best price over $50 and included attachments plus "will deliver".

When I got home last Thursday we put the little ones to bed and Arlene baby-sat while we took the Clapsaddles up on their offer. Arrived at the Marling House a few minutes past seven and they came right on our heels. As we were seated on that single table strip by the bar, Aunt Hannah was at the next table with someone she introduced as Mrs. Hayes. She left soon afterward but said she had a
letter from one of you. Next to the night out Ann and I had together, which I think we appreciated more because we made our own decisions, we really had a very good time. It was, my first taste of the M.H., you know, and those rum buns you talked about were delicious. As Earl paid for everything, we each had two drinks and the crab imperial a la carte (cheaper that way) with the salad that came along and yet I saw the bill at $17.90. I haven't been able to figure it out; seems a little high to me. I believe I told you Marling sold out several months ago but his head is still on everything including the ballet pictures on the walls. They have taken the hula gal with the running lights off the bar. From there we walked while deciding on a show, Ann and Annie was discussing Pat and Mike or St. Anne and the Something or Robin Hood or The Batchelor and Somebody; but the picture we saw was "Brave Warrior" with Jon Hall at the Mayfair and you can guess who picked it; I kept quiet. After that - home; Ann was a bit bothered by her eyes and they did look red and swollen. On the way she told me she had stood in front of the sun lamp for 20 minutes but had put paper over her eyes. That, combined with the movie and the fact she hasn't had her glasses available since Kathy snapped them in the middle brought on the consequences. She got to sleep for an hour but was up two o'clock walking the floor; then she walked outdoors and finally when she couldn't stand the pain I took her over to St. Agnes Hospital at 3:15 in the night, or rather morning. The doctor pronounced it acute Conjunctivitis or eye infection and put some drops in to ease the pain. She lay there for about an hour, after which he squeezed a tube of a cod liver oil and something mixture in each eye and gave her a shot in the arm; another rest and we went home but the pain didn't stop and neither of us slept. Toward morning the ice bags helped somewhat and she quieted down. What had Ann (and me, too) worried was that after we left the hospital she couldn't raise her eyelids and when she pried one up with her finger, couldn't see a thing. This was no doubt caused by swelling of the lids or something internally but by the afternoon of the Fourth we were both relieved when she could open them a little more than a slit and could see. The infection broke Saturday and stuff has been draining out ever since. I put the drops in all day Saturday and Sunday and with the aid of dark glasses Ann could go out for short periods at a time before applying cold packs. On the morning of the Fourth, I took Mike and Kathy down to the high school to watch the goings on while Ann tried to rest and Stevie napped for his usual two or three hours. We got there too late for the sucker scramble but Abe awarded each a couple of consolation lollipops and that suited Kathy for the rest of our stay down there. Jane and Edward showed up and while Edward didn't want to enter any of the games, Mike and Jane lined up with 100 others for something for kids under 8. The object was to hold a paper plate in the mouth, balance a marble on the plates, and run the length of the field and back. The gun went off and Mike and Jane streaked down and back with the plate clutched in one hand and the marble in the other. They were disqualified but had a lot of fun. The only other contest they entered was for "over 8 " -- a peanut collection; from which they emerged with a handful of peanuts. Then home we went to lunch and a little rest.

The parade was at 3:00 this year, or actually at 3:30 for a little rain held things up but passed over. We had no company on the porch and Ann watched for a little while but found the light too much. They had a good many bands and floats and I do think it was the largest yet. Earl added a big top of canvas to cover the entire section around the snowball stand and with about nineteen relatives working hard they managed to keep the line from blocking the view. The fireworks weren't up to usual; didn't start till 9:15 and were all over at 10:00. Stevie loved them and had his finger sticking at in the air spouting "See, see" till he was hoarse (one of his few words). Kathy enjoyed them, too, from the porch, and Mike didn't comment one way or the other but after a few big ones, he arose from his chair and announced "Mother, think I should rest for awhile" and went in the house but watched out of the window. Saturday was another pleasant day with temperature in the eighties and low humidity and we did practically nothing. Ann stayed in most of the time and I clipped a hedge and cleaned up the cellar and some weeds besides washing the car. Yesterday Arlene and I went to nine o'clock Mass in the chapel as they are still working on the church. I was in there on Friday and they seem to be rounding the ceiling which had to be repaired. At 9:05 Father Hughes came down into the hall and announced the priest that was due from the Monastery had forgotten about it and they 'phoned someone else was coming. The substitute didn't show up till 9:30 and was in the uniform of a Navy lieutenant chaplain. At the time for announcements he told the people not to think it strange that he appeared in uniform, that he was a chaplain. As if that explanation wasn't bad enough, he added, "For those who do not know what a chaplain is..." and went on in detail to elaborate. Guess he thought he was really out in the sticks. Ann made it to church and back OK but I knew she couldn't see well yet because she walked up the road with the glasses on to get a pack of Camels. She had to use a vending machine and came back with Chesterfield - didn't notice the mistake till she came into the house. Being in for three days like that, I suggested a ride as far as Friendship airport yesterday evening about 6:30. She felt well enough and we were down in less than 25 -minutes; this was our second visit. Nothing much doing on Sundays but I'd like to visit their dining room or cocktail lounge sometime. We bumped into Mr. Hahn and Willis, Betty and their kids seeing Willis off on a trip to Columbus. On the way back we picked up Auntie Florence, Mr. Bellis' sister, and now we know where she lives with the Dorsey's. It's one of the Schatz Bros. place on Valley Road after you turn there at the golf course and head toward town and Wilkens Avenue. I've always known it as the Lippe chocolate people's place.

Saturday evening we turned on TV to see two movies; at 9:00 CBS is putting on weekly shows in place of Ken Murray or as his summer replacement. Anyhow, from 9 to 10 it was Paison - which I haven't spelled correctly but you know what I mean, that Italian film and very good. After that, the Gunther Playhouse was Louis Hayward, Richard Carlson, Joan Fontainne and Tom Brown in "The Duke of West Point" copyright 1937. So Gunther has apparently given up on English films and is obtaining more recent American first releases. I found it entertaining and it must have been one of Joan Fontainne's first appearances though she had a rather large part.

Have to teach four nights this week as Mrs. Brown asked me and she is vacationing again. TV and radio is given over almost entirely to the Republican convention and there are only a couple of parts of it I would like to see. Abe left Saturday morning for two weeks to Toledo, Detroit and Chicago now that his car is pretty well broken in.

Just before I started this, Mrs. Burton 'phoned and asked me to call her back when the others had gone to lunch. She said she heard the present tenant of our future home was preparing to leave, had found a house about 5 miles away and the movers were there to look over things and finally that she might be out in about three weeks so that the possibility is still there we could be it by the first of August.

END OF LETTER

Editor's Notes:
Charles works for Dr. and Mrs. Burton who have promised him the use of a larger house near their farms. Charles also teaches night for a business school - The Baltimore Institute.
The Bellis' live next door at 23 Bloomsbury. Jane and Edward are bout the same age as Charles' children.
The Fourth of July parade always passed their house on Bloomsbury.
Ann Clapsaddle is a high school friend of Ann.
Abe Scop is a lifelong friend of Charles.

Next Posting: July 14, 1952

Copyright 2012 Stephen A Conner